Roland Garros 2025: Collignon stuns Shelton, top half loses another seed
Synopsis
On a day Jannik Sinner was also sent packing, unseeded Belgian Raphael Collignon dismantled fifth seed Ben Shelton without dropping serve once — the first Belgian top-five Grand Slam win in 13 years. The top half of Roland Garros 2025 is now a free-for-all, with only Felix Auger-Aliassime left standing among the top eight seeds.
Key Takeaways
Raphael Collignon defeated fifth seed Ben Shelton 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 on 29 May 2025 at Roland Garros .
Collignon, ranked world No.
62 , won 43 of 49 first-serve points and never faced a break point.
He is the first Belgian to beat a top-five seed at a Grand Slam since Steve Darcis beat Nadal at Wimbledon 13 years ago .
1 Jannik Sinner also exited on the same day, leaving Felix Auger-Aliassime as the only top-eight seed in the top half.
Collignon next faces Matteo Arnaldi , who beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in four sets.
Unseeded Belgian Raphael Collignon delivered one of the standout upsets of Roland Garros 2025, defeating fifth seed Ben Shelton 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 on 29 May to reach the third round and leave just one top-eight seed standing in the top half of the men's singles draw. The victory, completed in two hours and three minutes, came on the same day world No. 1 Jannik Sinner was eliminated in a five-set thriller, deepening the chaos in the upper bracket.
A Historic Win for Belgian Tennis
The world No. 62 was virtually flawless on serve, claiming 43 of 49 first-serve points and never once facing a break point across the entire match. The performance made Collignon the first Belgian player to defeat a top-five seed at a Grand Slam since his own coach, Steve Darcis, stunned Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 13 years ago.
'It was incredible atmosphere. It's very emotional because being Belgian, I used to come here to Roland-Garros quite regularly,' Collignon said, visibly fighting back tears. 'So, just being able to play on this court was a dream. And then to win in front of my loved ones, in front of my family, it's incredible.'
Collignon's Rising Pedigree
This was not Collignon's first statement win. The 24-year-old had previously beaten Alex de Minaur during Belgium's Davis Cup upset of Australia in Sydney last year. That win had announced his arrival; this one, on the grandest clay stage in tennis, has confirmed it. Up next for Collignon is Italian Matteo Arnaldi, who dispatched 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.
What It Means for Shelton
Shelton arrived in Paris in arguably the best clay-court form of his career, having won the title in Munich to become the first American to claim a title bigger than an ATP 250 on clay since the Australian Open. He had been targeting a third consecutive third-round appearance at Roland Garros, having pushed eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz to four sets in the last 16 last year. Instead, the American exits in the second round, his clay momentum halted by a player ranked nearly 60 places below him.
Rest of the Draw: Key Results
Fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime is now the sole surviving top-eight seed in the top half after seeing off Argentine Roman Andres Burruchaga 4-6, 6-0, 7-5, 6-1. Italian Flavio Cobolli eliminated Wu Yibing 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, while former quarter-finalist Matteo Berrettini knocked out French 22nd seed Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. American Brandon Nakashima also advanced, defeating compatriot-rival Luca Van Assche 6-7(5), 6-4, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 in a five-set battle.
With Sinner and Shelton both gone, the men's singles at Roland Garros 2025 is shaping up as one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, and Auger-Aliassime now carries the weight of an entire half of the draw.
Point of View
The top half has effectively lost its two marquee draws in 24 hours. Auger-Aliassime is a capable player, but he has never won a Grand Slam and now carries the burden of an entire bracket. For Shelton, the defeat stings precisely because of its timing: he arrived in Paris with clay credibility for the first time, only to run into a player who was near-perfect on serve. The Belgian renaissance — Darcis, and now Collignon — is a quiet story that deserves more attention than it gets.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Raphael Collignon and why is his win significant?
Raphael Collignon is a 24-year-old Belgian tennis player ranked world No. 62. His win over fifth seed Ben Shelton at Roland Garros 2025 is significant because it makes him the first Belgian to defeat a top-five seed at a Grand Slam since Steve Darcis beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 13 years ago.
What was the scoreline in the Collignon vs Shelton match?
Collignon defeated Shelton 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and three minutes. He claimed 43 of 49 first-serve points and never faced a single break point throughout the match.
Why is the top half of the Roland Garros 2025 draw considered wide open?
Both world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and fifth seed Ben Shelton were eliminated on 29 May, leaving Felix Auger-Aliassime as the only top-eight seed remaining in the top half. This has made the section one of the most unpredictable at Roland Garros in recent years.
Who does Collignon face in the third round?
Collignon will face Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the third round. Arnaldi reached this stage by beating 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.
How had Ben Shelton performed on clay before Roland Garros 2025?
Shelton had his best-ever clay-court season heading into Roland Garros 2025, winning the title in Munich to become the first American to claim a title bigger than an ATP 250 on clay since the Australian Open. He had also reached the last 16 at Roland Garros the previous year, pushing eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz to four sets.
